Have you committed already to a “new year, new you” way of thinking? If that includes the idea that you’re going to get a divorce, there are a few things you need to start doing now to get ready.
Here’s a list you can use:
1. Get those financial documents in order
The end of the year is a great time to gather up the financial paperwork that you’re going to need to make your divorce go smoother. End-of-the-year statements and benefit letters will be arriving between now and the end of January. Make copies and tuck them away for your first consultation with a divorce attorney. Don’t forget to get the last two years’ worth of tax returns out and copy those.
2. Get a bank account in your own name
While you’re at it, see if you can open a small credit card through the bank. This not only gives you a way to establish your own credit, but it also gives you a place to do banking independent of any joint accounts you have with your spouse.
3. Get a new email and mailing address
You need somewhere you can communicate from that your spouse won’t go digging. A post office box and a new email account that you keep private can allow you to communicate securely with your attorney even while you and your spouse still live together.
4. Put a lock on your electronics and social accounts
It’s time to change your passwords and put a lock on your laptop and phone. You don’t need your spouse looking through anything prior to your divorce. Make sure that you don’t use any passwords or numbers that your spouse can guess (like your birth date).
Waiting to get a divorce until after the holiday season is over isn’t uncommon. Just the same, you don’t have to sit around idly while you wait for the holidays to pass. Find a good way to occupy yourself, make the best of the situation with your spouse for now and do what you need to do in order to be ready for what comes.